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The Roost Podcast | Ep 110 – State of College Football in Texas with DCTF’s Mike Craven

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DCTF writer Mike Craven joins us this week to unpack the latest college football storylines around Texas and recap a busy spring.

Fresh off his run around the state of Texas to catch up with college football players and coaches, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s Mike Craven stops by to discuss the major storylines impact the sport and the in-state teams. From recruiting to coaching narratives, we cover it all.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 110.

Episode Notes

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State of Texas College Football with DCTF’s Mike Craven

  • What’s next for UTSA, North Texas and UTEP?
  • Realignment thoughts: reactions from across the state
  • Transfer Portal Math: Is it good or bad for G5 teams?
  • The future of recruiting strategy in college football
  • Incoming transfers who could make an impact in 2022
  • Major storylines in the state of Texas
  • How close is Rice football and his take on the Owls’ potential in 2022

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

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Rice Baseball: 2022 MLB Owls update – May 4

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The 2022 MLB season is underway and Rice baseball alums are busy on the mound and at the plate. Here’s the latest from the MLB Owls.

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angles

Rendon has been up and down this season, saving his biggest hit for a big moment. On Wednesday night he homered off Red Sox reliever Austin Davis to tie the game. The Angels would go on to win. That was his third extra base hit of the week after mashing two doubles on Apr 29 against the White Sox.

Through May 4 Rendon is hitting .231 with eight extra-base hits, 14 walks and 17 strikeouts. His OPS is .758 and he’s collected 11 RBI.

J.T. Chargois – Tampa Bay Rays

Chargois has yet to make a second appearance this season following his placement on the injured list in April.

Through May 4, Chargois has a 0.00 ERA with a 0.000 WHIP. He’s averaging 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Duffey made three appearances this week, lowering his ERA by nearly a point and a half with two scoreless one-inning appearances sandwiching a one-run outing in between. Duffey earned one hold in the process with his team notching victories in all three games.

Through May 4, Duffey has a 6.00 ERA with a 1.500 WHIP. He’s averaging 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lucas Luetge – New York Yankees

Luetge appears in three games this week, working a total of 2.1 innings without allowing a run. He registered more strikeouts over that stint (three) than hits allowed (two). Lutege has not been charged with a run in nine of 11 appearances so far this season.

Through May 4, Luetge has a 4.15 ERA with a 1.500 WHIP. He’s averaging 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

Glenn Otto – Texas Rangers

Otto was bumped back from his Tuesday start this week with the return of Jon Gray from the injured list. Through two starts he’s 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA. He’s struck out 10 batters in 9.1 innings, a strong start to his 2022 season. It remains to be seen if he’ll be used in the bullpen for the time being or make a return back to the Rangers’ starting rotation soon.

Through May 4, Otto has a 2.89 ERA with a 09.64 WHIP. He’s averaging 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

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Rice Baseball 2022: Early miscues doom Owls at UH

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Rice Baseball was unable to overcome a costly early error, dropping the game and the Silver Glove Series to Houston on Wednesday night.

Winners of their last two midweek games, Rice baseball saw that streak come to an end on Wednesday night against the Houston Cougars. After a scoreless first inning, both teams traded runs in the second. The modest start continued into the third, but after Owls’ reliever Garret Zaskoda collected two quick outs, a fateful error extended the inning.

Last Time Out : Rice baseball battles back to take two of three vs WKU

Instead of heading back to the dugout in a tied, 1-1 game, things began to unravel. The next three Houston batters reached base, including a two-run double followed by a two-run home run. Instead of a close game, Rice found themselves trailing 5-1 after three innings.

Having dropped the first game of the series in March, the Silver Glove was at stake and Rice was already in a sizable hole.

Houston would extend their lead with a run in the fourth. Rice got that one back in the sixth but would go on to leave eight runners on base throughout the course of the game. The big hit that Houston collected would go on to evade Rice. The Cougars had five two-out RBI. Rice had one. That alone would prove to be the difference on Wednesday night.

What it means | Focus back on C-USA

For better or worse, Rice baseball can now fully turn its attention to conference play. The Silver Glove was the last non-conference achievement the Owls had to look toward this season, two-midweek games against Louisiana notwithstanding.  If Rice wants to make the Conference USA Baseball Tournament, they have to win and win a lot in their final nine conference games.

What does that look like, from a practical standpoint, head coach Jose Cruz Jr. was crystal clear regarding just how sizable the task at hand will be. “We’re basically gonna have to win every series to even have a chance,” he said. “We need at least need six wins. If we can get a seventh that’d be even better.”

Every team talks about turning the page and moving on to the next game. This time, more than ever, Rice needs to be locked in and ready to go when they make the trip to Charlotte this weekend.

ON DECK | at Charlotte

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Rice Football Recruiting: JSU transfer RB Uriah West commits to Owls

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Rice Football recruiting has filled an immediate need in the backfield with the addition of Jacksonville State running back Uriah West.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren mentioned his team wasn’t yet complete at the conclusion of spring practices. Since that acknowledgment, the incoming Rice football recruiting class has been bolstered by way of the transfer portal, most recently with the commitment of former Jacksonville State running back Uriah West.

Rice did not sign a high school running back in the 2022 class, adding JUCO rusher Dean Connors instead. While Connors was impressive in spring practices, the need to add at least one more trustworthy back became clear by the time camp was winding down. Connors and Juma Otoviano were the only two healthy backs on the roster for the Spring Game.

Enter Uriah West. The Douglasville, GA native averaged 5.7 yards per carry over four seasons at Jacksonville State, tallying 1392 rushing yards, most of which came in his final two seasons where he shared backfield duties with fellow upperclassmen Josh Samuel.

West took a visit to Rice at the end of April, calling Rice “a second home”, praising the intentionality of the coaching staff and speaking positively about his experience at South Main. That trip would prove to be all he needed to make his decision.

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West calls himself a “decisive runner [that is] tough to bring down”. That tenacity shows up in his film. He’s not afraid to run through defenders and is willing to lower his pads and plow forward. West shows burst with the ball in his hands and has 24 career receptions. His versatility will come in handy in a Rice offense that likes to utilized the full breadth of running back abilities.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2023 OL Patrick Valent commits to Owls

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The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class has doubled down in the trenches, picking up a commitment from offensive lineman Patrick Valent.

For the better part of a month, the 2023 Rice Football recruiting class had one commitment: quarterback Chase Jenkins. Then the Owls ramped up the visits at the tail end of spring practice and the pace began to pick up quickly. Only a few days after securing a commitment from several additional offensive lineman, Rice has added another, Patrick Valent, to the fold as well.

Valent seemed locked in from the start. Rice was first to offer him out of Ohio in January. He told The Roost at that time that Rice would always “have a spot at the absolute top of my list” when it came to recruiting. He backed up those words when other offers soon followed.

After Rice’s offer in January, Valent picked up offers from Akron, Army, Air Force and Dartmouth. Even the draw of playing in state wasn’t enough to keep Valent from flocking south to Texas. Valent called the staff “first-class at all levels” and left campus impressed by the culture. Another visit included a picture with the then-committed Jenkins, further emphasizing Valent’s interest.

“I have a personality, but I’m all about work.I’m gonna work every day to ensure that Rice is the standard,” Valent said.

His commitment marks the sixth announcement for the 2023 Rice Football recruiting class and the fifth along the offensive line.

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It doesn’t take a film grinder to appreciate what Valent brings to the table. He drives back blockers and puts them in the dirt. “That’s my whole game,” Valent said. “I finish blocks with the best every play I am in and I want to drive you off the ball against your will and finish with force.” A quick look at his highlights makes that crystal clear.

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